Manjak language

Manjak or Manjack (French: Manjak, Manjaque; Portuguese: Manjaco) or Njak is a Bak language of Guinea-Bissau and Senegal. The language is also known as Kanyop.

In 2006, the total number of speakers was estimated at 315,300, including 184,000 in Guinea-Bissau, 105,000 in Senegal and 26,300 in The Gambia.

The Manjak dialects below are distinct enough that some might be considered separate languages.

• Bok (Babok, Sarar, Teixeira Pinto, Tsaam)
• Likes-Utsia (Baraa, Kalkus)
• Cur (Churo)
• Lund
• Yu (Pecixe, Siis, Pulhilh)
• Unhate (Binhante, Bissau)

The Manjak dialects listed by Wilson (2007) are

• Canchungo (kancuŋuʔ) – central dialect
• Baboque (babɔk) (formerly Teixeira Pinto) – eastern dialect
• Churo (cuur) – northern dialect
• Pecixe (locally called pəhlihl; otherwise pəsiis), on an island to the south
• Calequisse (kaləkiis), to the west of Canchungo

• Sounds [ɕ, ʑ] are heard in free-fluctuation with affricates /t͡ɕ, d͡ʑ/ in all positions except following nasals.
• Sounds /b, d, ɡ/ may also be lenited as [β, ɾ, ɣ] when in intervocalic or word-final positions. /d/ can also be heard as a trill [r] in free variation with [ɾ] when in word-final positions.

Only vowels /u/ and /a/ may also have lengthened equivalents; /uː/ and /aː/.

• Sounds /ɪ, ʊ/ may also range to more mid sounds [e, o] in free variation.
• /ɐ/ may have a central allophone as [ʌ̈].

• Sounds /iə, uə/ may have some fluctuation with lengthened sounds [eː, oː].

The official spelling system for Manjak established by the Senegalese government is regulated by Decree No. 2005-983 of 21 October 2005.

• Decree no. 2005-983 of 21 October 2005 relating to the spelling and the separation of words in Manjakú via the website of the Journal officiel.